Motor ship "Russia": payment for war

Few people know, but many Russian military vessels originally belonged to Germany. They have come a long way. Some of them even became movie stars. The fate of the ship "Russia" was no less fascinating.

The beginning of the way

This water transport was built in 1938. Initially, they owned Germany. The name was also different - Patria. This passenger ship had 6 diesel-electric generators. For the first time went on a cruise in the summer of 1938. Then from Hamburg it followed to South America. There remained to be exploited for two years.

Later it was used already at home, in Germany. And they exploited this water transport as a naval base. In 1945, he was transferred to Flensburg. This place was strategic. It was here that the entire fascist fleet was located. Just here, Hitler's receiver, Admiral Dönitz, defended Germany's interests.

Death on the ship

The future motor ship "Russia" did not immediately become the property of the USSR. On May 10, 1945, a supervisory working group arrived in Flensburg. It consisted of the British General Foord and the American Major General Rooks. Over time, General of the USSR Trusov arrived.

The latter proposed to go to the ship Patria. Almost two weeks later, they called Dönitz, Jodl and von Friedeburg. Then the fascists did not know that the control commission was quartered there. Arriving on deck, they could only guess the purpose of their call. Later it became clear that they would be arrested. Von Friedeburg was later not sent to prison, since after learning about the arrest, he asked to return to the room, and there he shot himself.

Rename

After the end of the war, the ship "Russia" was still in the hands of the British for another year. During this time, he traveled twice from the shores of Liverpool to New York. But in early 1946 the USSR received this ship as a reparation. It was transferred to the Black Sea Shipping Company with a different name.

After the war, a special first international line was organized, on which a new vessel began to operate. Until May 1947, "Russia" traveled from Odessa to New York. Special flights from Beirut to Batumi were also carried out.

For seven years the Soviet ship "Russia" sailed along the Crimean-Caucasian way. It was popular with vacationers. Therefore, often had to take on board for 200-250 people more. Sometimes even up to 500 passengers. Of course, they remained without cabins, but could comfortably spend the night on decks or on deckchairs.

Latest trips

In parallel with the flight Odessa - Batumi, the ship made trips to Cuba, to the countries of West Africa and even to Havana for a youth festival. In 1962 a vessel from Cuba took the personnel of the Soviet rocket regiment. In 1978, carried passengers on the route: from Odessa to Las Palmas, then to Algeria and at the end to Havana.

In 1985 the motor ship "Russia" ceased to exist. He was decommissioned and scrapped in Japan.

Career of the artist

Many people know the beloved Soviet film "The Diamond Arm". The plot of the film tells about the smuggling of jewelry. The underlying story was real, but it was happening in Switzerland. Director Leonid Gayday transferred it to Russia.

For the first time the ship appears there when the family escorts Semyon Gorbunkov's father to the cruise. The film shows how they pass by the ship "Victory", it is he who is considered the "main hero". In fact, this is not so. This motor ship was only incidental. But the main characters were already 3 ships. Among them is the motor ship "Russia".

It turns out that to shoot the famous movie liner Mikhail Svetlov had to use not only the former German water transport, but also the motor ships Ukraine and Georgia. The first one we see when he just leaves from the port of Sochi, and the second we notice at sea, when "the seventh day ..." was going on.

"Russia" appears in the film several times. At the very beginning, when the family comes to the port, also after, when they shoot the scene on the deck. The ship itself in the film "The Diamond Arm" has one name - "Mikhail Svetlov". A ship with this name never existed. It was the whim of the director. Mikhail Svetlov was the most favorite poet of Gaidai.

Presidential vessel

Despite the fact that the German ship Patria has not existed for a long time, there is another Soviet ship "Russia". It was built in 1973 on the order of Leonid Brezhnev. This is the only board of this kind. He became a real sightseeing boat. It was immediately intended for river walks, and was also designed for access to the coastal marine zone.

This ship is not for nothing called the presidential one. Its interior was different from the others. Was quite original, at times had unique works of decorative art. Earlier there was a huge restaurant for 70 passengers.

He stood there for a long time. But in the early 2000s the government planned the release of a government ship. When it became clear that such a project would cost a lot of money, it was decided to modernize "Russia". Five years later the ship was handed over to the presidential administration.